Baseball. Blogging. Whenever.

Thursday, September 03, 2009

My Morning in Exile


It's ShysterDaughter's first day of kindergarten today. It's afternoon kindergarten, so I'm going to bust out of here soon to go be that dad who stands at the bus stop taking pictures and holding back tears as my kid rolls her eyes. I'll be back later this afternoon, however. In the meantime:

  • The Rays didn't cut salary. They "reallocated resources." Maybe this isn't a worrisome example of it, but it's always worth remembering that while thought can corrupt language, language can also corrupt thought.


  • The Braves stand to have six good starting pitchers to start next year. Of course, give Frank Wren an offseason to work with and they'll have three good pitchers and a couple of past-their-prime corner outfielders, but as of now, I still hope.


  • J.P. Ricciardi falls on his sword, but he may have been pushed.


  • Mariano Rivera should not win the Cy Young award. Yesterday the NBCers killed me for allegedly disrespecting the Sox, so I figured I'd go for equal time today.


  • Buster Posey isn't in San Francisco to "light a fire" under Bengie Molina. He's there to confirm that Molina is, in fact, expendable.


  • Huston, this problem isn't nearly as bad as it seems.


    • Off to put my little girl on the cheese wagon. [Sniffle] [Snork]
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 10:53am

    You now assume the risk of players “horsing around” at the ballpark


    Following up on the discussion of fan injuries a couple of weeks ago comes a new ruling -- from New York -- holding that the fan's assumption of the risk at a ballpark extends to assuming the risk that they might get hit by a flying bat while a player is screwing around during warmups:

    "Plaintiff asserts that the authority cited by movant supports the mere proposition that a spectator assumes only commonplace risks -- such as, the risk of a loose bat or ball reaching the stands during the game or batting practice -- associated with attending a baseball game. Plaintiff argues that, here, in contrast, it was not commonplace for the subject player to horse around with the subject bat during no organized batting activity, either during the game or practice beforehand . . . The contention that summary judgment should be denied because the subject player was 'horsing around' and not engaged in batting practice when the subject bat became loose implies that primary assumption of risk applies only during certain distinct times while attending a baseball game. This implication is false."

    So basically, the Philly Pfanatic can juggle flaming chainsaws, and you're gonna just have to watch your ass, dudes.

    (thanks to Jack Marshall for the heads up)
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 1:57pm

    Wright’s helmet on its way to Cooperstown


    I refuse to join the parade of people making fun of David Wright's helmet. The guy is just getting over a serious beaning. He could wear the hollowed-out case to an upright pedal piano on his melon and I'd be cool with it.

    And besides, unlike all of you haters, it's going to the Hall of Fame.

    (thanks to Melissa D for the, um, heads up)
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 2:17pm

    Is the Orioles future as bright as everyone says it is?


    It seems like everyone -- myself included -- has come to rest in the same place with respect to the Orioles: bad team now, but a bright future, so Orioles fans should not despair.

    Russ Smith of Splice Today isn't having any of it. He has his reasons. The least significant for purposes of baseball is certainly the most interesting. I won't reproduce it here because I want you to click through, but I'll defend the ballplayers by noting that since they've all been to Fenway Park, they've at least heard a Neil Diamond song. If a single Baltimore Oriole owns "Rust Never Sleeps," however, I'll eat my hat.
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 2:44pm

    Lenny Dykstra is the best


    The latest from Lenny Dykstra's bankruptcy:

    As for his business plan, Dykstra testified that Louis Vuitton has promised to commit $10 million to take a 49 percent stake in the relaunch of his Players Club Magazine, with plans to expand it in Europe. The Players Club is a publication meant to help professional athletes manage their finances.

    "We give them hope," he testified, acknowledging the irony of his own situation.

    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 4:36pm

    Jerry Koosman is going to jail


    222 wins and now 210 losses.
    A federal judge in Madison has sentenced a former New York Mets star pitcher to six months in prison for not paying his taxes.

    Prosecutors say Jerry Koosman, a former all-star who helped the Mets win the 1969 World Series, didn't pay federal income taxes for 2002, 2003 and 2004, costing the government as much as $90,000.

    According to IRS agents, the 66-year-old Koosman, of Osceola, told them he had researched tax laws and concluded they applied only to federal workers, corporate employees and District of Columbia residents.

    Based on the strength of that defense, it sounds like he didn't have his best stuff working.

    Can we get a third "former Met making himself look like a jackass in federal court" story today? Has anyone seen Doc Gooden?

    (thanks to lar for the link)
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 4:56pm

    Friday, September 04, 2009

    And That Happened


    Phillies 2, Giants 1: Fast Eddie beats Vincent. Or if you prefer, Jheri Curl beats Mullet. OK, fine, so Lincecum's isn't really a mullet. Maybe if it was he wouldn't have given up that double to Ryan Howard. Or did you not think of that?

    White Sox 5, Cubs 0: Nothing like interleague play in September! The Cubs struck out 9 times against six hits. I'm assuming that at this point Lou is marking off the days until October 4th on his calendar with little X's.

    Marlins 8, Braves 3: This clubhouse disarray business seems to be working well for the Marlins: Hanley Ramirez gets a key pinch-hit single, Dan Uggla doesn't accost his team's best player. Hell, it's paradise. The real key to this game, though, was Kris Medlen: middle reliever. Though as Mac notes, this one is probably on Bobby for going to him on three straight nights.

    Yankees 10, Blue Jays 5: When a team can throw a poo-poo platter consisting of Gaudin, Aceves, Robertson, Bruney, Marte at you and still cruise, you have to start thinking "team of destiny." Posada: 4-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI. Somebody wake me when New York loses, because this is getting monotonous.

    Red Sox 6, Rays 3: This is not the same David Price the Red Sox remember from last year's playoffs (5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER). Not the same Rays either. They're basically over for the year, but they'll be back.

    Mets 8, Rockies 3: Wright went 3-for-4 in his second start since coming off the 15-day disabled list. More importantly, he ditched the big ass helmet. "It's just not comfortable," Wright said of the new helmet that will be required in the minors next season. "The last thing I need to worry about in the box is to try to shove it on my head. I will stay with the one I used today." I'm sure the fact that everyone told him that he looked like a total tool in it had nothing to do with it.

    Tigers 4, Indians 3: Magglio Ordonez batted twice after entering the game as a pinch hitter, so we can assume that either (a) the Tigers have decided that they're going to let him trigger his option; or (b) a guy with a lead pipe is going to be waiting for him in the St. Pete Marriott sometime this weekend.

    Brewers 4, Cardinals 3: Smoltz wasn't battered or anything, but he did lose, proving that, at least for one afternoon, the NL isn't the equivalent of the old American Association. Casey McGehee hit a two run homer, and drove in nine of the Brewers' 13 runs in the series.

    Dodgers 4, Diamondbacks 2: Thanks to Jon Garland (two earned runs on five hits over seven) and Ron Belliard (2-3, 3 RBII) Ned Colletti probably went to bed feeling pretty proud of himself.

    Mariners 7, Athletics 4: Two run homers from Bill Hall, Franklin Gutierrez and Kenji Johjima power the M's. Game story: "The Mariners were to take public transportation on the BART train to and from the games for the rest of the series with the Bay Bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland closed for work all weekend." There aren't any hotels in Oakland? What's wrong with this place?
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 5:38am

    Ernie Harwell has terminal cancer


    This is about the worst news I could have woken up to this morning:

    Ernie Harwell, the treasured voice of the Tigers for all those years, has incurable bile duct cancer. In comments to the Detroit Free Press on Thursday, he said he won't undergo surgery.

    "We don't know how long this lasts," Harwell, 91, told the Free Press. "It could be a year. It could be much less than a year, much less than a half year. Who knows? Whatever is in store, I'm ready for a new adventure."

    I know he's 91 so it's not like this is some gobsmacking tragedy, but I can't overstate how important Ernie Harwell has been to my life.

    I was a nervous kid, afraid of the dark and afraid of going to sleep myself. My parents let me turn on the radio at night as I went to bed and the talk, rather than the music, made me feel better. The voice that gave me the most comfort was Ernie Harwell's voice on WJR, which I latched onto before I even truly realized it was describing a baseball game.

    Ernie put me to sleep most spring and summer nights for several years, teaching me about baseball in the process. He also taught me that I could enjoy it just as much if I could not actually see it, which I can't help but think is the reason why I enjoy writing up the "And That Happened" recaps every day. I don't see hardly any of the games I describe, but just because I don't see them doesn't mean that there isn't a story to be told. Information and flavor to be teased out.

    Maybe you always have a thing for your first love, but I think I'm being objective when I say that I have never encountered a better baseball broadcaster than Ernie Harwell. How lucky that I had him putting me to sleep when I was four years old as opposed to someone else. Would I have even been a baseball fan if it was John Sterling's voice on the radio? Given that I was first tuning in for the delivery and not the product itself, I kinda doubt it.

    Ernie had his fastball until the end. FOX brought him out during the 2006 ALDS between the Tigers and Yankees and let him do an inning or two. He stepped in as if it was still his full time job, and didn't miss a beat. I recall that whoever FOX kept in the booth with him -- I want to say McCarver, but it could have been Zelasko or someone -- wanted to talk to him about his history and other such fluff, condescending to him, really, the way people often do to the elderly. Ernie seemed annoyed and deflected the person's attempts to wallow in nostalgia, obviously wanting to keep the focus on the game. Where it should be. And he did. And it was wonderful.

    Baseball will never see his like again.
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 7:30am

    Labor Day


    In honor of Labor Day, here's the best bastardization of baseball stats in the service of a pro-union message I've read since breakfast. "So we'll march day and night, by the left field light tower; they have the brats, but we have the power . . ." Or something.

    With that out of the way, between a pressing bit of legal work and the desire to get a jump on a three-day weekend, I'm going to have to call it a day. As usual, there are some posts over at NBC for your consideration (Griffey! The San Jose A's! Papelbon! Trey Hillman!). Sorry, no Yankees-Red Sox red meat for the NBC masses today. They're probably all shouted out for a couple of days anyway.

    If you're travelling this weekend, be safe. Come to think of it, be safe even if you're not travelling. Even drinking at home can be dangerous. Just ask William Holden.

    Have a nice weekend everyone.
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 1:05pm

    Tuesday, September 08, 2009

    Programming Note


    Hey all -- sorry, but there's no ATH this morning. I got back from my weekend in WV later than I had planned last night, other stuff took precedence, and before I knew it, it was late and I just wasn't able to get to the games. Apologies.

    There will be normal blogging otherwise today, and ATH will return tomorrow. In the meantime, here is a swell picture of my son fishing in WV while wearing a Cubs hat.

    Craig
    Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 5:35am

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